The VSP Vision Exam Rebate Is EXTENDED Through 2026! Act Now To Maximize Your Rebate! Details
Community > Events > Webinars > Welcome New Vendor Partners: ABB Labs And ABB Specialty Vision Products
Date: Tuesday, November 18, 2025
Time: 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm PT/4:00 pm – 5:00 pm ET
Location: Webinar
Independent eye care professionals need more than just a lab, they need a business partner who understands how they work, what they value, and what it takes to thrive in today’s competitive landscape. During this presentation, we’ll explore what sets ABB Labs apart from the competition, why choosing an independent lab matters, and how ABB’s tools and technologies are designed to work the way you do. Plus, you’ll get a first look at two powerful offerings available to PECAA members: the new DELTA Scleral lens, with intuitive fitting and a feature-rich based design proven to increase revenue and reduce chair time and ABB Verify Messaging, a smart solution that drives more patients into your practice by uncovering and activating unused patient benefits. Attendees will also learn about ABB Empower Max, a PECAA Max exclusive program that offers members:
This event is a PECAA Max member benefit. If you are not a PECAA Max member and would like to learn more about all the benefits of membership, please call 800.959.2020, Option 3. PECAA Propel members, please email alicia.crider@pecaa.com for registration assistance.
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James Gilchrist President
James Gilchrist joined ABB Optical Group in August 2023 as General Manager of Business Solutions and was appointed President in October 2023. Prior to ABB, James spent most of his career in the healthcare space with deep expertise in the optical industry and a strong focus on leading business transformations at the intersection of commercial, technology, operations, and strategy functions. His connection to healthcare goes back to his early days as a hospital administrator in the United States Air Force and he has carried this discipline throughout his career. James prides himself as a serial intrapreneur with a passion for servant leadership focused on putting people first, aligning the team to a shared purpose, and then empowering & supporting the team to deliver success along the journey.
Most recently, James served as President of Retail and Chief Transformation Officer for the US market at WS Audiology (WSA). While at WSA, James was tasked with unlocking value across WSA’s diverse set of businesses by transforming underperforming business units, creating new market opportunities, instilling executional discipline and leading US strategy and corporate development functions. He united WSA’s Retail organization consisting of 28 brands, 1,200 team members, and 475 locations under a shared vision and unified HearUSA brand that was selected by Newsweek as America’s #1 Hearing Care Retailer.
Prior to WSA, James spent over 8 years at EssilorLuxottica, most recently as SVP of Strategic Alliances & Solutions. As a member of the Executive Committee and Senior Management Team, he led a division of more than 1,200 team members and 300 independent contractors and his responsibilities included leadership of Essilor’s doctor alliance groups (Vision Source, PERC, Optiport), optical management services organizations, managed care division, and specialty manufacturing and distribution businesses.
Nick Mengerink Chief Commercial Officer
Nick Mengerink serves as ABB Optical Group’s Chief Commercial Officer. Nick brings nearly 20 years of optical industry experience with both Johnson & Johnson Vision and EssilorLuxottica. Most recently, Nick served as President of HearUSA and MyHearingCenters where he was responsible for 500 hearing clinics and 1,400 team members where he led the company to record historic growth and selection by Newsweek as one of America’s Top Retailers for two years running.
Prior to his time at HearUSA, he spent 16 years at Essilor where he built a deep understanding of ECP practices and honed his sales operations skills leading the development and implementation of Salesforce.com at Essilor and was a key leader in the development and implementation of the EssilorExperts lab share program. In his last role at Essilor, Nick served as the Senior Vice President of Managed Care and Safety, responsible for a team of 350 associates managing their relationships with health plans, vision plans, government entities, as well as Essilor’s Prescription Safety Eyewear business and Classic Optical Laboratory, an industry-leading Medicaid ophthalmic lens laboratory. Nick earned his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Pittsburgh.